The EMPRESS OF ASIA, after embarking
troops, sailed from Liverpool for Africa on November 12th, 1941, on
what was to become the ship’s final voyage.Freetown was reached on November 26th, 1941, and while en
route to Capetown the attack on Pearl harbour occurred, expanding the war into
the Asia and the Pacific.Christmas
Day was spent at Durban where orders were received to disembark the troops on
board and to proceed to Bombay.

Bombay was reached on January 15th,
1942 and the EMPRESS OF ASIA embarked 2200 troops and sailed for Singapore on
January 23rd, 1942.

On February 4th, 1942 the
ship, as part of a convoy that included the FELIX ROUSSEL, PLANCIUS, DEVONSHIRE,
and the CITY OF CANTERBURY and led by H.M.S. EXETER, was attacked in Banka Straits
by an aircraft formation.However
no direct hits were encountered.

The next day, February 5th,
1942, another aerial bombardment occurred that resulted in several direct hits
that soon set the mid-section of the ship ablaze.The ship was subsequently anchored and abandoned.

Many ships came to the rescue of the
crew and passengers of the EMPRESS OF ASIA and were responsible for greatly
reducing loss of life.These
vessels included the H.M.A.S. BENDIGO, H.M.A.S. WOLLONGONG, H.M.A.S. YARRA,
H.M.S. DANAE, and H.M.I.S. SUTLEJ.The
H.M.A.S. YARRA, under the command of Lieutenant Commander W.H. Harrington RAN,
was particularly prominent in rescue, pulling along side the burning ship and
taking off over a thousand survivors.Harrington
drew attention to the courageous conduct of one YARRA sailor, Leading Seaman
Ronald Taylor.

The following list contains the names of
the 413 crewmembers that were serving on the EMPRESS OF ASIA on February 5th,
1942.